by: 2nynbak - 10th March 2009

Full review

We just got back from skiing in Chamonix and would rate it very highly for intermediate to expert skiers. We rented an apartment in Argentaire which is right at Grand Montets which most rate as the best area at Chamonix. I would stay there again or in downtown Chamonix. I would avoid Les Houches as a place to stay as the skiing there is not included on the unlimited ticket and it is down the valley and not as attractive as Argentaire.
We skied all the areas included Courmayer except the Valley Blanche in four days. There seems to be a bias towards Grand Montets but we liked starting in Brevent and working our way over to Flagare and back in a day just as much. The south facing slopes at Brevent wear out faster but we had lots of snow and great sun this past weekend. The unlimited ticket gets you reduced tolls to Courmayer which worked out great as it was snowing like crazy in Cham and sunny on the other side of the Mt Blanc at Courmayer. We also used the unlimited ticket to go up to Aguille du Mide which was well worth the hour and a half first thing in the morning for great picture taking. Next time we will do the Valley Blanche just for the bragging rights.
If you will cook and have a car the Carrafoure hypermarche in Sallanche on the way up from Geneva is a great place to stock up on great food. In town Chambre Neuf is a great apre ski bar for music and a jam packed crowd of skiers. We have skied Kitzbuhel, Zermatt, Grindelwald, Sass Fee and many US and Canadian areas and Chamonix rates highest in our view.